Archive for July, 2009

in a show of support — and leadership — middle linebacker Brashton Satele organized his teammates' turnout for the news conference to announce the sanctions against coach Greg McMackin.
Satele arranged it so the players would line up alongside McMackin's path leading to the Stan Sheriff Center.

Whether you agree or not with the sanctions against coach Greg McMackin, it was surprising to see UH officials act so swiftly.
The worst thing would have been to let this drag out.

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One of the after-effects of Greg McMackin's controversial speech is that a once useful event — the WAC Football Preview — might be nearing the end.
The event was designed for the member schools to promote their teams and for the media to create contacts. The information gathered was used for stories for special preview issues, which once were big business for newspapers, which once were big business, too.
But the past two years, the WAC has held the event in Salt Lake City, which is 90 miles away from the nearest league member, Utah State.
Attendance has dwindled. Sixty-five media credentials were issued, although hometown newspapers for three schools — Fresno State, San Jose State and New Mexico State — did not send any reporters. ESPN.com's Graham Watson, who coverss the non-BCS leagues, also decided not to attend.
The WAC has essentially two stars — quarterbacks Colin Kaepernick of Nevada and Kellen Moore of Boise State — but only one attended. Moore, a sophomore was left back, presumably because of the school's preference of being represented by upperclassmen.
In past years, the event coincided with the unveiling of each team's media guides. But because of a national movement to cut expenses, only four WAC teams printed media guides this year. All signs point to UH discontinuing the practice next year.
In speeches to reporters, most coaches discuss their depth charts. If the event were held next year, don't expect any coach to deviate from a well-edited script.

University of Hawai‘i head football coach Greg McMackin apologized for making a disparaging comment during today’s speech to reporters at the Western Athletic Conference Football Preview.
In describing a battle of chants between Notre Dame and UH during last year’s Hawai‘i Bowl Banquet, McMackin said the Fighting Irish performed a “little faggot dance.”
He repeated the phrase twice more in trying to apologize.
“I would sincerely like to apologize for the inappropriate verbage of words that I used,” McMackin said. “I have nothing against the University of Notre Dame. I don’t talk like that. I’m realy ticked off at myself for saying that. I don’t have any prejudices. It really makes me mat that I said that. I’m disappointed in myself.”
McMackin described the loss to Notre Dame as the worst in his 40-year career.
“It ticks me off that I said that because Notre Dame played a great ball game,” McMackin said. “What I was trying to do was be funny, and I wasn’t funny, and it’s not funny. Even more, it isn’t funny to me. I was trying to make a joke. It was a bad choice of words. I really, really feel that.
“I wanted to apologize,” he added. “I’m going to apologize to my team. I’m going to apologize to the people of Hawai‘i. ... All I can do is apologize, and I feel bad that I used those words. It was really stupid. I just feel really bad. I apologize.”
Middle linebacker Brashton Satele, who also attended the meet-the-media event, said it was out of character for McMackin to use the phrase.
“He loves everybody,” Satele said. “He never says anything bad about anybody.”
WAC commissioner Karl Benson said the issue will now be handled by the university.
Benson said there is a sportsmanship clause in the WAC bylaws, and that McMackin might face sanctions ranging from a reprimand to suspension.
Each WAC coach is allotted 30 minutes to give a preview of his team. The segments are recorded on video, and shown on the WAC’s Web site.
Benson said McMackin’s comments will not be posted.

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Transcript of part of McMackin's speech:

"I think I screwed up, because the night before the game — getting back to Notre Dame — they'd been in a slump, and I think we were favored in the game for a while. I don't know why. They had 48 Parade All-Americans, and we have none. But what happened is we had a banquet the night before, so Charlie (Weis) gets up with the, you, we're up with the presidents and all that, and my team is over here and his team is over here. And I know most of the coaches in the country were rooting for us to beat Notre Dame. Charlie gave this talk, and then he goes — any Notre Dame fans in here? Anybody like Notre Dame? OK, good, good. See, that's the bad thing. Not many people do unless you're a true Notre Dame guy. And I knew, the whole country's watching and they want us to win. It made me sick after that game. It made me sick. But I screwed up, and I'll never do this again. He had his guys. 'We do something special at Notre Dame,' he said, and they get up and they do this little cheer, like this (clap), you know, this little faggot dance. And you remember, Jason and Stephen, so my guys were looking at me. They're all looking at me trying not to laugh. So I gave them the shaka. Don't write that 'faggot' down. I was misquoted. Anyway, I gave them the shaka. So our guys get up, and it was the best (ha‘a) I've ever seen. I mean, they're on their chair. They have beads on, they're ripping their beads off. I mean, it was a little scary. I think Notre Dame watched that and said: 'We better have ourselves ready,' because they really played a good game. I can't take away. Their quarterback was on fire. I even challenged the last play of the half because there's no way that guy could have caught it. We had two guys on him. He caught it out of bounds with his toes in, and it was. It was just great execution. So, anyway, just please. Last year, you covered for me as far as (inavertently mentioning a) recruit. Cover for me. Go ahead. Say 'faggot dance.' No, please cover for me on that, too. Right, Karl? I'll deny it. Anything else?"

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Apparently the new contract between the WAC and ESPN guarantees that about six WAC football games will be shown on ESPN-U.
Thing is, only one of those games has been set. The UH-Navy game is expected to be added to the ESPN-U schedule.
ESPN-U is required to give only 12-days notice if it decides to pick up a game.
That would impact UH, which sells pay-per-view subscriptions of its home football games.
ESPN-U uses its own production and broadcast crew. It also requires that its telecatsts be shown live and free to cable subscribers.
Stay tuned.

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Greg McMackin will address the media at today's WAC Football Preview in Salt Lake City. Center John Estes and middle linebacker Brashton Satele will have individual interviews with WAC print and broadcast reporters today.

The Warriors were picked to finish fifth in the Western Athletic Conference in both the coaches and media preseason polls.
Boise State was picked first in both polls.

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Fresno State coach Pat Hill today lobbied for earlier starting times for games played in Hawai‘i. He said the lack of late Saturday flights forces visiting teams to stay an extra day in Hawai‘i, a financial inconvenience in these austere economic times.

SALT LAKE CITY — Just checked into the hotel for the WAC Media Preview. It should be interesting since, as we reported before, half of the schools won't be distributing media guides this year. Mack, Brashton Satele and John Estes don't arrive until tomorrow. I guess it's time to hit the mall.

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Saddleback CC linebacker Akoni Lasconia is expected to join the Warriors in January.

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It has been said athletic director Jim Donovan showed leadership by accepting a 7 percent paycut.
True.
But I think it would have showed courage to not take a paycut.
Take a furlough. Lead a Hi-5 drive. Defer part of the income.
But now it puts the heat on every athletic department employee, including coaches, to accept a paycut or else appear to be greedy. What's a coach to say if asked?
Think about how much difficulty UH had in its recent hirings. It won't be easier to attract quality coaches knowing that, after signing, there might be pressure to accept reduced pay.
Your thoughts?

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Former UH setter Brian Beckwith is interested in serving as a graduate assistant for the Warrior volleyball team. Last season, he played professionally in Europe.